In this section

67. PRITTLEWELL. (F.d.)

Prittlewell is a parish on the N. side of the
Thames Estuary. It includes the town of Southend-on-Sea. The principal monuments are the
church, Priory and Porters.

Ecclesiastical

b(1). Parish Church of St. Mary stands in the
village. The walls are of ragstone-rubble with a
little flint; the dressings are of Reigate and Kentish
ragstone; the roofs are covered with lead and
slates. The N. wall of the chancel, and perhaps
part of the N. wall of the nave, appear to date
from the beginning of the 12th century, and the
S. wall of the Nave above the arcade is of rather
later date. At this period the church appears to
have had a central tower. In the second half of
the 13th century the three W. bays of the S.
arcade, with probably a fourth further E., were
built and a S. aisle added. The N. wall of the
nave appears to have been re-built at some uncertain
period, possibly the 14th century. The West
Tower was added c. 1470. c. 1500–30 the church
was much altered, the Chancel largely re-built,
the South Chapel added, the S. arcade of the
nave extended E. on the site of the former central
tower, a clearstorey added to the corresponding
portion of the N. wall, the South Aisle re-built
and widened and the South Porch added. The
church was restored in modern times, when the
North Vestry was added.

The church is of considerable architectural
interest from its variety of styles. Among the
fittings the S. door and the well preserved coffin-lid
are noteworthy.

The Chancel (33 ft. by 22 ft.) has an E. window
all modern except the early 16th-century hollow-chamfered splays and four-centred rear-arch. In
the N. wall are two windows, the eastern is modern
except the early 16th-century splays and four-centred rear-arch; the western is also modern
except for the 15th-century splays and hollow-chamfered segmental rear-arch; 'this window is
set low in the wall; between the windows is the
W. part of an early 12th-century round arch
probably a doorway, partly of Roman brick and
partly of ragstone; it is visible both inside and
outside. In the S. wall is a 15th-century window
of two cinque-foiled lights in a segmental head,
all modern externally. Further W. is an early
16th-century arcade of two bays with two-centred
arches of two orders, the outer moulded and the
inner hollow-chamfered; the octagonal column
has concave faces and moulded capital and base;
the responds have attached half-columns. The
early 16th-century chancel-arch is generally similar
to the S. arcade, but with slightly different mouldings; the outer order is probably of 13th-century
material re-used.

The South Chapel (24 ft. by 19 ft.) has an E.
window, modern except for the early 16th-century
splays and rear-arch. In the S. wall are two
windows; the eastern is modern except the splays
and two-centred rear-arch, which are probably of
the 15th century, re-set; the western window is
modern except the early 16th-century splays and
four-centred rear-arch; below it is a doorway,
modern except the early 16th-century splays and
four-centred rear-arch. The early 16th-century
W. arch is similar to the chancel-arch except that
it is four-centred.

The Nave (100 ft. by 23½ ft.) has a square portion
at the E. end, separately roofed and no doubt
indicating the position of the former central tower.
In the N. wall are four lower windows; the eastern
is modern except the early 16th-century W. splay
and segmental-pointed rear-arch; the second is
modern except the splays and two-centred rear-arch, which are possibly of the 14th century;
the third is modern except the early 16th-century
splays and segmental-pointed rear-arch; the
westernmost window is of early 16th-century date,
partly restored and of three cinque-foiled lights in
a square head; E. of the easternmost window is
the early 16th-century rood-loft staircase; the
lower doorway has rebated jambs and a modern
head, and there are faint traces of the blocked
upper doorway; further E. is part of a 15th-century splay of a doorway or window; above the
head of the easternmost window is the E. part of
the relieving-arch of an earlier window; E. of the
head of the second window is part of the rear-arch of an earlier pointed window; the N. doorway
is of early 15th-century date with modern jambs
and chamfered two-centred arch. The wall of the
two E. bays (representing the former central tower)
is carried up as a clearstorey and has two early
16th-century windows, modern externally and each
of two trefoiled lights in a square head. The S.
arcade is of six bays (Plate, p. 110); the three
eastern bays are of early 16th-century date and of
detail similar to the chancel-arch; the three W.
bays are of the 13th-century, with two-centred
arches of one chamfered order; the three W.
columns are octagonal with moulded capitals and
bases, octagonal to square on plan; the W.
respond has an attached half-column; above the
two W. piers of the 13th-century work are two
12th-century windows (Plate, p. 110), each of one
round-headed light and blocked when the arcade
was built but now partly opened-out again; there
are parts of a similar window above the third pier
from the E.; the comparatively low level of these
windows implies that the 12th-century nave was
aisleless; the two E. bays of the wall are carried
up as a clearstorey and have two windows similar
to those of the N. clearstorey.

The South Aisle (17½ ft. wide) has a modern
embattled parapet but old carved heads at the
label of the string-course. In the S. wall are five
windows all modern except the early 16th-century
splays and four-centred rear-arches; between the
fourth and fifth windows is the early 16th-century
S. doorway with moulded jambs, two-centred arch
and label; further E. is a small early 16th-century
doorway to the staircase to the room above the
porch; it has moulded jambs and four-centred
head. In the W. wall is a window similar to those
in the S. wall; below it is an early 15th-century
doorway, now blocked, and with moulded jambs,
two-centred arch and label.

The West Tower (14½ ft. square) is of the 15th
century, and was finished c. 1470; it is of four
stages with a moulded plinth and embattled
chequer-work parapet with octagonal turrets at
the angles continued down to the base of the bell-chamber and capped with crocketed pinnacles
(Plate, p. 97). The two-centred tower-arch is of
three orders, the two outer chamfered and
continuous and the inner resting on attached
shafts with moulded capitals and bases. The
W. window is modern except the splays and
two-centred rear-arch; the W. doorway has
moulded jambs and two-centred arch in a square
head with a defaced label and spandrels
enclosing two shields, one with a cross of
St. George and one defaced; flanking the
doorway are two carved head-corbels. The
doorway to the turret-staircase, in the splayed
S.W. angle, has moulded jambs, two-centred arch
and label; above it is a second doorway with
rebated and chamfered jambs and two-centred
arch; it is now blocked, but formerly opened on
to a ringing-gallery, of which four corbels remain.
Flanking the W. window externally are two much-weathered niches with two-centred heads and square
moulded labels. On the S. wall of the ground-stage, externally, is a row of corbels, of doubtful
purpose, but resembling those of a pent roof. The
N., S. and W. walls of the second stage have each
a window of two cinque-foiled lights in a square
head with a moulded label; except for the N.
window all have been completely restored externally
below the N. and S. windows are much-weathered
niches with cinque-foiled heads and square labels.
The third stage has in both the E. and W. walls
a window of two cinque-foiled lights in a four-centred head with a moulded label; there are
modern clock-faces in the N. and S. walls. The
bell-chamber has in each wall a window of three
cinque-foiled lights with intersecting tracery in a
four-centred head with a moulded label; the S.
and W. windows are much restored.

The South Porch is of early 16th-century date,
and of two storeys with an embattled parapet of
flint chequer-work. The four-centred outer archway is of two moulded orders, the outer continuous
and the inner resting on attached shafts with
moulded capitals and bases; there is also a moulded
label; the archway has been much restored in
cement. The upper storey has a window of one
four-centred light in a square head, restored in
cement. The side walls of the lower storey have
each a window of two cinque-foiled lights in a square
head with a moulded label, all much decayed;
higher up in the W. wall is a plain loop.

The Roof of the ground-stage of the tower has
moulded main timbers, plain joists and a square
bell-way, all of the 15th century.

Fittings—Coffin-lid: In nave—in N.W. angle,
with hollow-chamfered edge and raised cross, 13th-century. Door (Plate, pp. 4-5): In S. doorway—of five
upright panels with embattled rails, panels carved
with trefoiled ogee arches and crocketed finials,
quatrefoils in lowest tier, early 16th-century. Font:
octagonal bowl with concave panelled faces, six
carved with, a rose (twice), a heart with two crossed
spears, a shield with a cheveron between three fleurs-delis, a defaced crucifix and a dimidiated Tudor rose
and pomegranate, square stem with attached shafts
at angles having moulded bases, early 16th-century.
Glass: In S. chapel—in E. window, twelve panels
with figure-subjects, (a) Elijah's sacrifice; (b) the
Virgin and Child enthroned; (c) Christ and St. John
the Baptist; (d) the Building of the Temple; (e) Jesse
enthroned with his Tree behind; (f) Christ before
Caiaphas; (g) Christ appearing to the disciples after
the Resurrection; (h) David and the Anointing of
Solomon; (i) Elisha and the Shunammite's son;
(j) The Temptation (Plate, pp. xliv–v); (k) the Ecce
Homo; (l) the Three Children in the fiery furnace;
glass all foreign; (f) and (g) possibly 17th-century,
rest 16th-century. Monuments: In nave—on N.
wall, (1) to Mary (Cocke) wife of Richard Davies,
1623, alabaster and black marble tablet with side
pilasters and achievement-of-arms. In churchyard
—E. side, (2) to Dorothy Freeborne, 1641, and
Samuel her husband, 1658 (?), table-tomb. Niche:
In S. chapel—in E. wall, with head broken away,
date uncertain. In nave—in face of W. pier of
arcade, small with four-centred head, 15th-century.
See also Architectural Description, under Tower.
Panelling: In nave—framed on N. wall, two long
portions of oak panelling, probably from chest,
(a) upper part of winged beast or beasts with
intertwined necks; (b) elaborate window-tracery,
both probably foreign, c. 1500. Piscina: In S.
chapel—in S. wall, with flat cinque-foiled head,
drain broken, c. 1500. Plate: includes large cup
of 1668. Stoup: In S. porch—with four-centred
head, bowl destroyed, c. 1500. Miscellanea: In
churchyard—fragments of window-tracery, worked
stones, etc., 15th and early 16th-century.

Condition—Good, but much decay in external
stonework; porch recently restored.

Secular

b(2). Prittlewell Priory, house, walls and
foundations, 550 yards N. of the church. The
Priory was founded for Cluniac monks as a
cell to Lewes, at the end of the 11th or beginning
of the 12th century. It was dissolved in 1536.
Of the existing remains the N. wall of the Frater
was built late in the 12th century. The remaining
parts of the W. range are apparently of the 15th
century. There is no evidence of the date of the
foundations and remaining fragments of the church.
The church and E. range were destroyed probably
soon after the dissolution. The W. and S. ranges
were turned into a house and very much altered.
Extensive 18th-century or modern additions were
made on the W. side. The building has recently
been completely restored, the Frater cleared and
extended to its original length, and the site of the
church excavated.

The Walls are mainly of rubble repaired and
partly refaced with modern brick. The roofs are
tiled.

The foundations of the Church are very indeterminate as to the E. end; the nave, however, had
a S. aisle, of which the foundations of two rectangular piers have been uncovered. A long stretch of
foundation on the N. side may indicate a sleeperwall under the N. arcade or a N. wall.

The Cloister (88 ft. E. to W. by 87 ft. N. to S.)
is bounded on the N. by a rubble wall which is
mainly a part of the S. wall of the church considerably patched; there are slight indications
of the position of the western processional entrance.

The Frater (76 ft. by 26 ft.) has modern walls
built on the old foundations, except on part of the
N. side. In this wall is a late 12th-century doorway (Plate, p. 121), considerably restored, with a
two-centred arch of two moulded orders enriched
with cheveron and dog-tooth ornament; the
moulded jambs have each a restored free shaft
with moulded and foliated bell-capital and square
abacus; above is an offset for the cloister roof, and
further E. one original corbel of the same roof.
Near the middle of the wall externally is a patch
of brick-blocking with one stopped jamb of stone
on the W. side and possibly representing the
lavatory. Higher in the wall is a range of small
pointed windows all modern except one, which has a
moulded trefoiled head, shafted splays with
moulded imposts and a moulded rear-arch with
dog-tooth ornament. Re-set on the internal wall
further W. is a section of a large moulded arch
with nail-head ornament. The roof of the frater
is mainly of early 15th-century date, with king-post trusses, moulded tie-beams, rebated king-posts and four-way struts.

Prittlewell Priory

The West Range has on the ground-floor two
barrel-vaulted chambers and half of a third probably
of 15th-century date; in the S. wall of the
southernmost is a 15th-century doorway with a
four-centred head. The upper floor of the W. range
is timber-framed, with modern windows of the
old design and a 15th-century roof (Plate, p. 111)
of five bays with two original king-post trusses,
double chamfered tie-beams, octagonal king-posts
with moulded capitals and bases and four-way
struts; the rafters are smoke-blackened. At the
N. end is a re-set 16th-century fireplace with
moulded jambs and four-centred arch in a square
head.

Preserved in the building are many worked and
moulded stones from the 12th to the 15th century,
including coupled column-caps, cusped panelling,
dog-tooth ornament, etc. There is also a stone
coffin.

Condition—Good.

c(3). Porters, house (Plate, p. 114), 70 yards S.
of All Saints' Church, is of two storeys with attics
and basement. The walls are of brick with some
stone dressings; the roofs are tiled. Parts of the
house are of early 16th-century date, but it was
completed or extensively re-built towards the end
of the same century. The original house was
built probably on a half H-shaped plan with the
cross-wings extending towards the S., but the
space between the cross-wings was apparently
filled in at the rebuilding and an entrance porch
built on the N. front. In the 17th century a
small addition was made on the middle of the
W. front, and there are traces of a corresponding
addition on the E. side; modern alterations include
the building of a porch at the S.W. corner.

Elevations—The N. Front has a moulded plinth,
which is continued round the building, and is
gabled at either end. The E. gable has an original
transomed and mullioned window to both the
ground and first floors and a three-light window
to the attics; the W. gable is similar, but the two
lower windows are of four lights. The porch has
a square-headed entrance with a moulded oak
frame with moulded base and stops set in a
brick opening with splayed jambs and head; in
each of the side walls is a two-light window of
brick; the inner doorway is chamfered but otherwise similar to the entrance, but set in chamfered
brick, and has an original door of three long
panels. Lighting the hall are two late 16th-century windows, one of three the other of
five transomed lights, but the windows to the
upper floors of the central block are modern, as
is the gable of the porch. On the E. Front is
a rectangular chimney-stack with three diagonal
shafts. The S. Front is similar in arrangement to
the N. front, but only the windows in the gables
and those in the main block are original. The
W. Front has three original windows and an original
chimney-stack with three diagonal shafts. The
chimney-stack in the middle of the main block has
three detached diagonal shafts.

Interior—The Hall (Plate, p. 111) has exposed
ceiling-beams, and in the S. wall is a late 16th-century stone fireplace (Plate, p. 65) with a
straight-sided four-centred head and small shields
and carved leaves in the spandrels, above the
opening is a frieze carved with masks and
acanthus leaves which terminate in half-figures
supporting a cartouche of strapwork. The walls
are lined with early 16th-century linen-fold
panelling with some modern work and incorporating
five early 16th-century panels of foreign workmanship (probably French), each carved in bold relief
with the figure of a king and retaining traces of
colour. In the early 17th-century panelled screen
at the W. end of the hall are two doorways with
flat heads and arched angles, carved spandrels and
fluted pilasters at the sides. At the S. end of
the 'screens' is a moulded square-headed doorway
with a 17th-century door. The room in the S.E.
angle of the house has a fireplace of similar design
to that in the hall but with a less elaborately
carved frieze. Adjoining the modern E. staircase
is a central-newel staircase with a double row of
early 17th-century turned balusters at the first-floor landing; the 17th-century door to the cellar
stairs has large strap-hinges. The Kitchen has
the timber-framing and ceiling-beams exposed;
the fireplace has a wide four-centred head, and
the door has an old fleur-de-lis hinge and a
grating. On the First Floor, the rooms in the
E. wing and above the hall have fireplaces of
similar design to that in the S.E. room on the
ground-floor, but with varying detail. The room
above the kitchen has a fireplace with a moulded
four-centred arch and in the E. wall a moulded
square-headed doorway. The roofs are of collar-beam type with braced purlins; that over the
main block has curved braces to the principals.

Condition—Good.

Monuments (4–12).

The following monuments, unless otherwise
described, are of the 17th century, and of two
storeys, timber-framed and plastered; the roofs
are tiled. Some of the buildings have original
chimney-stacks and exposed ceiling-beams.

Condition—Good.

b(4). House, now two shops (Plate, p. xl), on
W. side of North Street, 50 yards W. of the
church, was built early in the 16th century on a
half H-shaped plan with the cross-wings extending
towards the W. A cart-way through the N. end
of the central block was made probably at some
later date. The upper storey of the cross-wings
originally projected on the E. front and at the
W. end of the N. wing, but two of these projections
have been under-built. Inside the building some
of the constructional timbers are exposed.

Camp at Prittlewell

b(5). Shop, 20 yards S. of (4) is a fragment of
a 16th-century house which was added to, on the
E. side, in the following century. On the S. side of
the earlier building the timber-framing is exposed,
and in the party wall is a blocked three-light window
with moulded frame and mullions.

b(6). Deeds Cottages, house (Plate, pp. xl–i), now
a bank and shop, at corner of North Street and
West Street and immediately S. of (5), is of
weather-boarded timber-framing. It was built in
the 16th century, but has been much altered.

a(7). Great Folly, house, about 1½ m. W. of the
church, has been much altered, and added to on
the S. and W. Inside the building is an original
staircase, now blocked.

a(8). Coleman's Farm, house, nearly 1 m. N.W.
the church, has modern additions on the N. and S.

a(9). WhitehouseFarm, house, nearly 1 m. N.N.W.
of the church, has modern additions on the E.
The upper storey projects on the W. front.

b(10). Temple Farm, house, about 1 m. N.N.E. of
the church, has timber-framed walls partly weather-boarded and partly covered with plaster. The main
part of the building is of 16th-century date and
L-shaped on plan with the wings extending towards
the S. and E., but it has been considerably altered
and added to. Inside the E. wing of the house
is an original doorway with a four-centred head.

b(11). Hamstel, house, nearly 1¼ m. E. of the
church, has modern additions on the N.

b(12). Cooper's Farm, house, about 1 m. N.E. of
the church, was built probably c. 1600. The
upper storey projects at the back. Inside the
building two rooms are lined with early 17th-century panelling and there is an original stone
fireplace with moulded jambs and four-centred
head.

Unclassified

b(13). Camp, S.E. of Fossett's Farm, 1 m. N.E.
of the church, is situated on ground which slopes
gently towards the N. and is not far from the head
of a creek of the River Roach. It is roughly elliptical
on plan, and measures about 800 ft. from N. to S.
and 650 ft. from E. to W.; at the S.E. corner is an
irregularly-shaped mound. The defences consisted
of a rampart and dry ditch, but though the outline
can be traced as an undulation in the fields for
the greater part of its circumference, it is only at
the S.W. corner that the rampart and ditch are
well defined.

Condition—Fairly good; the ditch on the W.
side is gradually being filled in, and the mound,
which is said to have been considerably lowered,
is enclosed in a small plantation.